We headed to the bridge connecting Brasil and French Guiana first thing in the morning as immigration and customs on both sides opened.
The Brasil exist was very easy ... show passport, get stamp, and nothing required for the motorcycles. The French Guiana side was also easy except we needed to buy insurance for the motorcycles (€95 each) and they only accepted Euros, in cash. Oops.
We finally figured it out by going to the town just outside the bridge and convincing some locals to sell us some. Just part of the adventure.
The road to Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana, was one of the best so far on this trip. Pavement was amazing and it went through some of the best kept and most luscious jungle ... sometimes the trees and palm trees formed tunnels over the road ... unique. A very nice ride, full of turns, and hills through the Amazon jungle.
Being in French Guiana definitely feels like being in France ... all the license plates are just like in Europe, the cars are mostly new and clean, the trucks and buses do not spew black smoke all over ... no red dust flying everywhere ... the color, the shops, and the road signs are just like what you would see in France ... with a nice big shinny Carrefour store at the entrance of Cayenne!
Cayenne looks vibrant and busy. A big shift from where we were this morning.
It is interesting to think about why there is such a difference between two places that are so close physically (language, currency, culture)... one side dirtier, poorer, and more agrarian and the other more cosmopolitan and richer.
Both sides are far from their capitals (Brasilia and Paris) but Oiapoque seems forgotten ... too far of an outpost to worry about?
After checking in our nice first-world hotel in Cayenne and a swim in the pool (the heat and the humidity are still here), we set out to explore the town and to see the ocean.
The view from Point Buzare was out of these world. Instead of a beach, we found an otherworldly mosaic of islets that separated terra firma from the ocean which was about 500 meters away. Again, nature showing off.
We met Yves on the Main Street, owner of a great French coffee shop and bakery, and sat down to enjoy some coffee and some pastries. Very French.
Tomorrow, we go to Kourou, to visit the European Space Agency spaceport where the EU's satellites and space stuff gets launched.
No comments:
Post a Comment